By: Shirley Huang

It was a bright Saturday morning. Stella couldn’t get her mind off the fact that today was the first day of summer break! She raced to the pet place and called, “Dodgy! Morning!” Dodgy was her dog’s name, and he always replied to her with a happy bark. But today, no sound came out. “Dodgy?” She shouted, then stepped inside the room. She couldn’t believe her eyes! Dodgy was gone! He wouldn’t go with anyone! He would bark and wake the whole family up! Or even tear the person to pieces! What was left in Dodgy’s place was a note and a few crumbs. Stella looked at the note. It said:

Dear Whoever may be reading this note,

Hehe! Your dog is captured! This is a ransom note. Please pay 10 million dollars to 163 7764 7639 to get your dog back. Hehe! Do it before the 5th day of summer break or your dog… not to say, will suffer unknown consequences!
-The Thief

P.S. Consequence is probably killing your dog and kidnapping your relatives! So give it NOW!

Wait a second. Stella thought. Isn’t 163 7764 7639 my neighbor’s phone number? Wait. Let me get my neighbor. She went outside, and bumped into her neighbor!”
What are you doing?” Stella asked.
Her neighbor said, “I was trying to get you. My phone number chip disappeared just yesterday night! Today, I was trying to make an important phone call because I got a new job at the hospital. I found out it was gone! I frantically took out the chip holder and saw there was a crumpled-up note inside! It says:”

Dear Whoever may be reading this note,

Hehe! Your phone chip is gone! This is a ransom note. Please pay 200 thousand dollars to 163 7764 7639 to get your phone chip back. Hehe! Do it before the 5th day of summer break or your phone, not to say, will suffer unknown consequences!
-The Thief

P.S. Consequence is probably keeping your phone chip and stealing your phone! So give it NOW!

“That looks a lot like mine.” Stella said. She began writing on her list. It turned out to be:

Teachers:
● English Teacher
● Science Teacher
● Maths Teacher
● History Teacher
● Music Teacher
● French Teacher
● Latin Teacher
● Spanish Teacher
● Personality Teacher

“That’s all my teachers!” Stella said. “I thought they would use a red pen because they only have one! The PE teacher doesn’t have a pen!”
The neighbor suggested, “Why don’t you cross out some names that you think it isn’t, like you think maybe it isn’t?”
“Great idea!” Stella said. “First of all, my English and Maths teacher are girls, and it looks like boy’s handwriting.” So she crossed of the English teacher and the Maths teacher:

Teachers:
● English Teacher
● Science Teacher
● Maths Teacher
● History Teacher

Stella and her neighbor knocked on the Maths Teacher’s door.
“What’s up Stella?” She asked.
“I need your help!” Stella said.
“Wow, slow down girl!” She said, “What do you want to say? It seems you have brought your mom here.”
The two got in the house and sat on the couch. “So, what were you guys going to say?” The teacher asked.
The neighbor said, “First of all, I am not her mom, I am her neighbor. And, my phone chip and her dog was stolen! The thief left a ransom note and demanded money in 5 days. We came to ask if you know some clues.”
“I do!” Said the teacher, “And in fact, I can tell you that it is probably your history or science teacher! Let’s go to the police station!”
At the police station, the teacher told the police officer everything. The police officer said, “I would like to come to you two’s houses. And you, Ms. Good Teacher, please come with us. Reddy and Breaky, come! Those are my police dogs! They will help!”
First they went to the neighbor’s house. They saw a ransom note but nothing.